US20120044439A1 - Lighting device, display device and television receiver - Google Patents
Lighting device, display device and television receiver Download PDFInfo
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- US20120044439A1 US20120044439A1 US13/258,088 US200913258088A US2012044439A1 US 20120044439 A1 US20120044439 A1 US 20120044439A1 US 200913258088 A US200913258088 A US 200913258088A US 2012044439 A1 US2012044439 A1 US 2012044439A1
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- Prior art keywords
- light
- light source
- overlapping portion
- color
- diffuser plate
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
- G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour
- G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
- G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
- G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
- G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
- G02F1/1336—Illuminating devices
- G02F1/133602—Direct backlight
- G02F1/133606—Direct backlight including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
- G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour
- G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
- G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
- G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
- G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
- G02F1/1336—Illuminating devices
- G02F1/133602—Direct backlight
- G02F1/133604—Direct backlight with lamps
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
- G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
- G02B6/0013—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide
- G02B6/0015—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
- G02B6/0016—Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
- G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
- G02B6/0013—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide
- G02B6/0015—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
- G02B6/0018—Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
- G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
- G02B6/0013—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide
- G02B6/0023—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
- G02B6/0025—Diffusing sheet or layer; Prismatic sheet or layer
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
- G02F1/01—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour
- G02F1/13—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on liquid crystals, e.g. single liquid crystal display cells
- G02F1/133—Constructional arrangements; Operation of liquid crystal cells; Circuit arrangements
- G02F1/1333—Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methods
- G02F1/1335—Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
- G02F1/1336—Illuminating devices
- G02F1/133602—Direct backlight
- G02F1/133609—Direct backlight including means for improving the color mixing, e.g. white
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a lighting device, a display device and a television receiver.
- a liquid crystal panel included in a liquid crystal display device does not emit light, and thus a backlight device is required as a separate lighting device.
- the backlight device is arranged behind the liquid crystal panel (i.e., on a side opposite from a display surface side). It includes a chassis having an opening on a liquid crystal panel side, a plurality of fluorescent tubes (for example, cold cathode tubes) accommodated in the chassis as lamps, and an optical member (a diffuser plate and the like) provided at the opening of the chassis for efficiently directing light emitted from the cold cathode tubes to a liquid crystal panel.
- the optical member converts linear light into planer light to unify illumination light.
- the linear light is not sufficiently converted into the planer light, striped lamp images are generated along the arrangement of the cold cathode tubes, and this deteriorates display quality of the liquid crystal display device.
- a backlight device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has been known as one that suppresses power consumption and ensures uniform brightness.
- the backlight device described in Patent Document 1 includes a diffuser plate provided on a light output side of a plurality of cold cathode tubes.
- a dimming dot pattern having a light transmission rate (opening rate) from 62 to 71% and haze from 90 to 99% is printed on the light diffuser plate.
- a dot diameter of each dot is great directly above the cold cathode tubes and the dot diameter becomes smaller as is farther from the cold cathode tubes.
- ink used for forming a dimming dot pattern contains a light blocking material and light blocking materials that provide white are mainly used.
- White ink has light reflectance with respect to short-wavelength light that is higher than light reflectance with respect to long-wavelength light. Therefore, light (color phase) of short-wavelength is easier to be reflected directly above the cold cathode tubes. This causes the rays of light that have transmitted through the ink to take on a yellow tinge that is a color phase of relatively long-wavelength and illumination light also may be yellow-tinged. In portions far from the cold cathode tubes, rays of light reflected by the dimming dot pattern may be blue-tinged illumination light.
- An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that provides substantially uniform white illumination light without color unevenness.
- Another object of the present invention is to provide a display device including such a lighting device and a television receiver including such a display device.
- a lighting device of the present invention includes a light source, a chassis configured to house the light source and have an opening for light from the light source to pass through, and an optical member provided to face the light source and cover the opening.
- the chassis includes a light source installation area in which the light source is arranged and an empty area in which no light source is arranged.
- the optical member includes a light source overlapping portion that overlaps the light source installation area and an empty area overlapping portion that overlaps the empty area.
- a light reflecting portion configured to reflect light from the light source is provided on at least the light source overlapping portion of the optical member such that light reflectance in a surface area of the light source overlapping potion is relatively higher than light reflectance in a surface area of the empty area overlapping portion.
- a color adjustment portion configured to adjust color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty area overlapping portion is provided on the optical member.
- light output from the light source first reaches the light source overlapping portion of the optical member that is the portion having high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion (does not pass through the light source overlapping portion), and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from the light source.
- the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion is further reflected in the chassis and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion.
- the light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This achieves substantially a uniform brightness distribution in the lighting device without arranging a plurality of light sources.
- the light reflecting portion is provided on the optical member, and therefore, the light of certain color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion. This may cause a part of illumination light to take on a yellow tinge and uniform white light may not be obtained.
- the color adjustment portion that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty portion overlapping portion is formed on the optical member. The color adjustment portion adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty area overlapping portion to accelerate or suppress absorption of the light of certain color phase. This adjusts color of output light and white illumination light without color unevenness is obtained.
- FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a television receiver according to a first embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device provided in the television receiver
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device along the short-side direction
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device along the long-side direction
- FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis provided in the liquid crystal display device
- FIG. 6 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate included in the backlight device;
- FIG. 7 is a plan view explaining a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube;
- FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in a short-side direction of the diffuser plate
- FIG. 9 is a typical view illustrating a plan arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on the diffuser plate;
- FIG. 10 is a spectral plot of each color
- FIG. 11 is a plan view explaining a distribution of color intensity of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube;
- FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 11 ;
- FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube according to one modification
- FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 13 ;
- FIG. 15 is a typical view illustrating a plan arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate included in a backlight device according to a second embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 16 is a plan view explaining a color intensity distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube;
- FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 16 ;
- FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating amain portion of the diffuser plate according to one modification in which a formation pattern of a color adjustment portion is modified;
- FIG. 19 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion that are formed on a diffuser plate included in a backlight device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in a backlight device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 21 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on the diffuser plate;
- FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate
- FIG. 23 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate
- FIG. 24 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement of cold cathode tubes in a chassis according to another modification
- FIG. 25 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement of cold cathode tubes in a chassis according to additional modification
- FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 27 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources in a chassis
- FIG. 28 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate;
- FIG. 29 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate
- FIG. 30 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate
- FIG. 31 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources according to one modification.
- FIG. 32 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources according to another modification.
- the television receiver TV of the present embodiment includes the liquid crystal display device 10 , front and rear cabinets Ca, Cb that house the liquid crystal display device 10 therebetween, a power source P, a tuner T and a stand S.
- An overall shape of the liquid crystal display device (display device) 10 is a landscape rectangular.
- the liquid crystal display device 10 is housed in a vertical position such that a short-side direction thereof matches a vertical line.
- FIG. 2 it includes a liquid crystal panel 11 as a display panel, and a backlight device 12 (lighting device), which is an external light source. They are integrally held by a frame-like bezel 13 and the like.
- the liquid crystal panel (display panel) 11 is constructed such that a pair of glass substrates is bonded together with a predetermined gap therebetween and liquid crystal is sealed between the glass substrates.
- switching components e.g., TFTs
- pixel electrodes connected to the switching components
- an alignment film are provided on one of the glass substrates.
- a color filter having color sections such as R (red), G (green) and B (blue) color sections arranged in a predetermined pattern, counter electrodes, and an alignment film are provided.
- Polarizing plates 11 a , 11 b are attached to outer surfaces of the substrates (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ).
- the backlight device 12 includes a chassis 14 , an optical sheet set 15 (a diffuser plate (optical member, light diffuser member) 15 a and a plurality of optical sheets 15 b that are disposed between the diffuser plate 15 a and the liquid crystal panel 11 ), and frames 16 .
- the chassis 14 has a substantially box-shape and an opening 14 b on the light output side (on the liquid crystal panel 11 side).
- the frames 16 arranged along the long sides of the chassis 14 hold the long-side edges of the diffuser plate 15 a to the chassis 14 .
- the long-side edges of the light guide plate 15 a are sandwiched between the chassis 14 and the frames 16 .
- a hot cathode tube (light source) 17 , lamp clips 18 , relay connectors 19 and lamp holders 20 are installed in the chassis 14 .
- the lamp clips 18 are provided for mounting the hot cathode tube 17 to the chassis 14 .
- the relay connectors 19 are connected to ends of the hot cathode tube 17 for making electrical connection.
- the lamp holder 20 collectively covers each end of the hot cathode tube 17 and the relay connector 19 .
- a light output side of the backlight device 12 is a side closer to the diffuser plate 15 a than the hot cathode tube 17 .
- the chassis 14 is prepared by processing a metal plate. It is formed in a substantially shallow box shape. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , it includes a rectangular bottom plate 30 and outer rims 21 , each of which extends upright from the corresponding side of the bottom plate 30 and has a substantially U shape.
- the outer rims 21 include short-side outer rims 21 a and long-side outer rims 21 b provided at the short sides and the long sides of the chassis 14 , respectively.
- the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 has a plurality of mounting holes 22 along the long-side edges thereof.
- the relay connectors 19 are mounted in the mounting holes 22 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , fixing holes 14 c are provided on the upper surface of the chassis 14 along the long-side outer rims 21 b to bind the bezel 13 , the frames 16 and the chassis 14 together with screws and the like.
- a light reflecting sheet 23 is disposed on an inner surface of the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 (on a side that faces the hot cathode tube 17 ).
- the light reflecting sheet 23 is a synthetic resin sheet having a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity.
- the light reflecting sheet 23 is placed so as to cover almost entire inner surface of the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 .
- long-side edges of the light reflecting sheet 23 are lifted so as to cover the long-side outer rims 21 b of the chassis 14 and sandwiched between the chassis 14 and the diffuser plate 15 a . With this light reflecting sheet 23 , light emitted from the hot cathode tubes 17 is reflected to the light guide plate 15 a.
- the hot cathode tube 17 is formed in an elongated tubular.
- the hot cathode tube 17 is arranged in the chassis 14 such that the longitudinal direction (the axial direction) matches the long-side direction of the chassis 14 .
- the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 (the portion facing the diffuser plate 15 a ) is defined in three portions in the short-side direction of the chassis 14 .
- the three portions include a first end portion 30 A, a second end portion 30 B that is located on an opposite side end from the first end portion 30 A and a middle portion 30 C that is sandwiched between the first end portion 30 A and the second end portion 30 B.
- the hot cathode tube 17 is arranged in the middle portion 30 C of the bottom plate 30 and a light source installation area LA is formed there.
- No hot cathode tube 17 is arranged in the first end portion 30 A and the second end portion 30 B of the bottom plate 30 and an empty area LN is formed there.
- the hot cathode tube 17 is partially arranged in the middle portion of the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 to form the light source installation area LA.
- An area of the light source installation area LA is smaller than that of the empty area LN.
- the inverter board set 29 is provided so as to overlap the light source installation area LA, more specifically, to overlap each end of the hot cathode tube 17 .
- Drive power is supplied from the inverter board set 29 to the hot cathode tube 17 .
- Each end of the hot cathode tube 17 has a terminal (not shown) for receiving drive power and electrical connection between the terminal and a harness 29 a (see FIG. 4 ) derived from the inverter board set 29 enables supply of high-voltage drive power.
- Such electrical connection is established in a relay connector 19 in which the end of the hot cathode tube 17 is fitted.
- the holders 20 are mounted so as to cover the relay connectors 19 .
- the holders 20 that cover the ends of the hot cathode tube 17 and the relay connectors 19 are made of white synthetic resin. Each of them has an elongated substantially box shape that extends along the short side of the chassis 14 as illustrated in FIG. 2 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , each holder 20 has steps on the front side such that the diffuser plate 15 a and the liquid crystal panel 11 are held at different levels. A part of the holder 20 is placed on top of apart of the corresponding short-side outer rim 21 a of the chassis 14 and forms a side wall of the backlight device 12 together with the outer rim 21 a . An insertion pin 24 projects from a surface of the holder 20 that faces the outer rim 21 a of the chassis 14 . The holder 20 is mounted to the chassis 14 by inserting the insertion pin 24 into the insertion hole 25 provided in the top surface of the outer rim 21 a of the chassis 14 .
- the steps of the holder 20 that covers the end of the hot cathode tube 17 include three surfaces that are parallel to the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 .
- the three surfaces include a first surface 20 a , a second surface 20 b and a third surface 20 c .
- the short-side rim of the diffuser plate 15 a is placed on the first surface 20 a that is located at a lowest level.
- a slanted cover 26 extends from the first surface 20 a toward the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 with being slanted.
- a short-side rim of the liquid crystal panel 11 is placed on the second surface 20 b of the holder 20 .
- the third surface 20 c that is located at a highest level overlaps the outer rim 21 a of the chassis 14 and comes in contact with the bezel 13 .
- the optical sheet set 15 including the diffuser plate (optical member, light diffusing member) 15 a and the optical sheets 15 b is provided on the opening 14 b side of the chassis 14 .
- the diffuser plate 15 a is configured by a plate-like member of synthetic resin and light scattering particles dispersed therein.
- the diffuser plate 15 a diffuses linear light emitted from the hot cathode tube 17 that is a linear light source and also reflects light emitted from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- Each of the short-side rims of the diffuser plate 15 a is placed on the first surface 20 a of the holder and does not receive a vertical force.
- the diffuser plate 15 a covers the opening 14 b of the chassis 14 .
- the optical sheets 15 b provided on the diffuser plate 15 a includes a diffuser sheet, a lens sheet and a reflection-type polarizing plate layered in this order from the diffuser plate 15 a side.
- the optical sheets 15 b convert the light that is emitted from the hot cathode tube 17 and passes through the diffuser plate 15 a to planar light.
- the liquid crystal display panel 11 is disposed on the top surface of the top layer of the optical sheets 15 b .
- the optical sheets 15 b are held between the diffuser plate 15 a and the liquid crystal panel 11 .
- a light reflecting function of the diffuser plate 15 a will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8 .
- FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of the diffuser plate on its surface that faces the hot cathode tube.
- FIG. 7 is a plan view explaining a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube in FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in a short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 6 .
- the long-side direction of the diffuser plate is referred to as an X-axis direction and the short-side direction thereof is referred to as a Y-axis direction.
- a horizontal axis shows the Y-axis direction (short-side direction) and the light reflectance is plotted on a graph from an end portion close to Y1 (Y1 end) to a middle portion in the Y-axis direction and from the middle portion to an end portion closer to Y2 (Y2 end) in the Y-axis direction.
- a light reflecting portion 40 configured by a white dot pattern is formed on the diffuser plate 15 a on a surface opposite from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- each dot of the light reflecting portion 40 is formed in a circular shape.
- the dot pattern forming the light reflecting portion 40 is formed by printing paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide), for example, on the surface of the diffuser plate 15 a .
- Preferable printing means is screen printing, inkjet printing and the like.
- the light reflecting portion 40 facing the hot cathode tube 17 has a light reflectance of 80% in its surface area and the diffuser plate 15 a facing the hot cathode tube 17 has a light reflectance of 30% in its surface area.
- the light reflecting portion 40 has a relatively high light reflectance.
- the light reflectance of each material is represented by an average light reflectance measured with a LAV of CM-3700d (measurement area diameter of 25.4 mm) manufactured by Konica Minolta inside the measurement circle.
- the light reflectance of the light reflecting portion 40 is measured in the following method.
- the light reflecting portion 40 is formed over an entire surface of a glass substrate and the light reflectance of the surface is measured according to the above measurement means.
- the light reflectance of the light reflecting portion 40 is preferably 80% or more, and more preferably 90% or more.
- the light reflection is controlled more precisely and accurately according to a pattern form of the dot pattern such as the number of dots or the area of each dot.
- the diffuser plate 15 a has a long-side direction (X-axis direction) and a short-side direction (Y-axis direction).
- the light reflectance of the surface of the diffuser plate 15 a facing the hot cathode tube 17 changes along the short-side direction by changing the dot pattern of the light reflecting portion 40 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
- the light reflectance of the portion (referred to as a light source overlapping portion DA) that overlaps the light source installation area LA (a portion in which the hot cathode tube 17 is arranged) is higher than the light reflectance of the portion (referred to as an empty area overlapping portion DN) that overlaps the empty area LN (a portion in which no hot cathode tube 17 is arranged).
- the light reflectance is uniform to be 50% and represents a maximum value on the diffuser plate 15 a .
- the light reflectance decreases in a continuous and gradual manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion away from the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the light reflectance is set to a lowest value that is 30% at two end portions (Y1 end and Y2 end in FIG. 8 ) of the empty area overlapping portion DN in the short-side direction (Y-axis direction).
- a distribution of light reflectance of the diffuser plate 15 a is determined by an area of each dot of the light reflecting portion 40 .
- the light reflectance of the light reflecting portion 40 is higher than the light reflectance of the diffuser plate 15 a . Therefore, the light reflectance relatively increases by relatively increasing the area occupied by the dots of the light reflecting portion 40 and the light reflectance relatively decreases by relatively decreasing the area occupied by the dots of the light reflecting portion 40 .
- the area occupied by the dots of the light reflecting portion 40 is relatively large and uniform.
- the area occupied by the dots of the light reflecting portion 40 continuously decreases from a border between the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the two end portions of the empty area overlapping portions DN in the short-side direction.
- the area of each dot of the light reflecting portion 40 may be set to be same and a distance between the dots may be changed.
- a color adjustment function of the diffuser plate 15 a will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12 .
- FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.
- FIG. 10 is a spectral plot of each color.
- FIG. 11 is a plan view explaining a distribution of color intensity of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.
- FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 11 .
- a color adjustment portion 50 configured by a dot pattern that provides yellow is formed on the diffuser plate 15 a on a surface facing the hot cathode tube 17 .
- each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 is formed in a circular shape.
- the dot pattern forming the color adjustment portion 50 is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment, for example, on the surface of the diffuser plate 15 a .
- Preferable printing means is screen printing, inkjet printing and the like.
- the color adjustment portion 50 may be formed by any pigments or dyes that provide yellow color. Phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment is excellent in durability and preferable for the environment.
- each of x( ⁇ ), y( ⁇ ) z( ⁇ ) represents a color-matching function that is defined in the CIE color system.
- the color-matching function is also called a visibility function and represents wavelength dependency of three levels of sensitivity that human beings can sense.
- Sr, Sg, Sb represent color intensity curves of red (Sr), green (Sg) and blue (Sb), respectively.
- Each of the color intensity curves of Sr, Sg, Sb has one of the three levels of sensitivity function that is most dominant.
- the color intensity curves are obtained by the following formulas (1) to (3).
- the color of yellow has an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than the wavelength of 500 nm that is a crossing point of the color intensity curve of green (Sg) and the color intensity curve of blue (Sb).
- the color of red has an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than the wavelength of 575 nm that is a crossing point of the color intensity curve of green (Sg) and the color intensity curve of red (Sr).
- the color adjustment portion 50 is not limited to be configured by a yellow coloring material but may be configured by a coloring material having an absorption band in the light of relatively short wavelength, and is configured preferably by a coloring material of a color having an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than 575 nm. A color phase between yellow and red and having an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than 575 nm can be used for the color adjustment portion 50 .
- the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 50 changes in every area from the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the dot pattern of the color adjustment portion 50 changes so that the color intensity of yellow changes in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate 15 a as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 .
- no color adjustment portion 50 is formed on the light source overlapping portion DA and the light source overlapping portion DA has a color of the diffuser plate 15 a or a color or the light reflecting portion 40 .
- the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 50 increases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the hot cathode tube 17 (the light source overlapping portion DA) toward a portion away therefrom.
- the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 50 is greatest in the end portions that are farthest from the hot cathode tube 17 (Y1 end and Y2 end in FIG. 12 ).
- the diffuser plate 15 a has relatively greater color intensity in the empty area overlapping portion DN than the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the color intensity distribution of the color adjustment portion 50 is determined by an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 .
- An area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 is greatest and uniform in the portion of the diffuser plate 15 a that is farthest from the light source overlapping portion DA (see FIG. 9 ).
- an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 decreases in a continuous manner from the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN in its short-side direction (Y1 end and Y2 end) toward the border between the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 may be uniform and distances between the dots may be varied.
- the diffuser plate 15 a includes the light source overlapping portion DA that overlaps the light source installation area LA and the empty area overlapping portion DN that overlaps the empty area LN.
- the light reflecting portion 40 that reflects light from the hot cathode tube 17 is formed on at least the light source overlapping portion DA of the diffuser plate 15 a . Accordingly, the light reflectance of the surface area of the light source overlapping portion DA is relatively higher than the light reflectance of the surface area of the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the color adjustment portion 50 that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN is formed on the diffuser plate 15 a.
- the light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This achieves power saving without arranging a plurality of hot cathode tubes 17 and substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in the backlight device 12 .
- the light reflecting portion 40 is provided on the diffuser plate 15 a , and therefore, the light of certain color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion 40 . This may cause a part of illumination light to take on a blue tinge in a portion away from the hot cathode tube 17 and uniform white light may not be obtained.
- the color adjustment portion 50 that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty portion overlapping portion DN is formed on the diffuser plate 15 a .
- the color adjustment portion 50 adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN to accelerate or suppress absorption of the light of certain color phase. This adjusts color of output light and white illumination light without color unevenness is obtained.
- a coloring material that provides yellow color is provided as the color adjustment portion 50 at least on the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the light having a color phase of relatively short wavelength can be absorbed in the empty area overlapping portion DN. Accordingly, even if the light exited from the empty area overlapping portion DN takes on a blue tinge, the light having a blue color phase is absorbed by the color adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained.
- the color intensity of yellow changes in every area from the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the light exited from the diffuser plate 15 a may have different color intensity of blue in every area due to difference in distance between every area and the hot cathode tube 17 . Even in such a case, with the above configuration, the color intensity of yellow is changed in every area of the diffuser plate 15 a by the color adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained.
- the color adjustment portion 50 has color intensity of yellow increasing as is farther away from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- Light emitted from the hot cathode tube 17 and reflected by the light reflecting portion 40 is likely to increase color intensity of blue as is farther away from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- the color adjustment portion 50 has color intensity of yellow increasing as is farther away from the hot cathode tube 17 to absorb the light of a color phase of blue and obtain uniform white light.
- the color adjustment portion 50 has the greatest color intensity of yellow in the portions farthest away from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- the color intensity of yellow is greatest in the portion that is easy to take on a blue tinge. This suppresses the illumination light to take on a blue tinge and uniform white light is obtained.
- the light reflecting portion 40 is configured by a dot pattern having light reflectivity.
- the light reflection is controlled by a pattern form (the number (the density) of dots or an area of each dot). Accordingly, uniform illumination brightness can be easily obtained.
- the light reflecting portion 40 is configured such that the light reflectance decreases in a continuous and gradual manner from the portion having higher light reflectance to the portion having lower light reflectance.
- the light reflectance of the light reflecting portion 40 on the diffuser plate 15 a decreases in a continuous and gradual manner so as to have a gradation. This makes the distribution of illumination light brightness to be moderate and the lighting device can achieve a uniform distribution of illumination light brightness.
- the diffuser plate 15 a is configured by a light diffusing member that diffuses light from the hot cathode tube 17 .
- the light transmission of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN of the diffuser plate 15 a is controlled by changing the light reflectance distribution of the light reflecting portion 40 , and also the light diffusing member diffuses light. This achieves uniform brightness in the surface area of the backlight device 12 .
- the chassis 14 is configured such that the portion facing the diffuser plate 15 a (the bottom plate 30 ) is defined in the first end portion 30 A, the second end portion 30 B and the middle portion 30 C that is sandwiched between the first and second end portions 30 A and 30 B.
- the second end portion 30 B is on the opposite end side from the first end portion 30 A.
- One of the first end portion 30 A, the second end portion 30 B and the middle portion 30 C corresponds to the light source installation area LA and the rest corresponds to the empty areas LN.
- an area of the light source installation area LA is smaller than that of the empty area LN in the chassis 14 .
- the light from the hot cathode tube 17 is reflected by the light reflecting portion 40 to be guided to the empty area LN in the chassis 14 . This maintains uniform illumination brightness and achieves cost reduction and power saving.
- the light source installation area LA is provided in the middle portion 30 C of the chassis 14 .
- the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and may include a following modification.
- the light reflectance distribution of the diffuser plate 15 a may be modified as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 .
- FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube according to one modification.
- FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 13 .
- the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained.
- the light source overlapping portion DA of a diffuser plate 150 a (a surface of the portion that overlaps the light source installation area LA facing the hot cathode tube 17 ) has the highest light reflectance
- the empty area overlapping portion DN of the diffuser plate 150 a (a surface of the portion that overlaps the empty area LN facing the hot cathode tube 17 )
- the light reflectance decreases in a stepwise and gradual manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion farther therefrom.
- the empty area overlapping portion DN of the diffuser plate 150 a the light reflectance changes step by step along the short-side direction (Y-axis direction) of the diffuser plate 150 a .
- a first area 51 having relatively high light reflectance is provided in the light source overlapping portion DA that is located in the middle portion of the diffuser plate 150 a , and second areas 52 , 52 having light reflectance relatively lower than the first area 51 are provided next to the first area 51 in the empty area overlapping portion DN located at the sides of the first area 51 .
- third areas 53 , 53 having light reflectance relatively lower than the second areas 52 are provided at the sides of the second areas 52
- fourth areas 54 , 54 having light reflectance lower than the third areas 53 are provided at the sides of the third areas 53
- fifth areas 55 , 55 having light reflectance lower than the fourth areas 54 are provided at the sides of the fourth areas 54 .
- the light reflectance of the diffuser plate 150 a is 50% in the first area, 45% in the second area, 40% in the third area, 35% in the fourth area, and 30% in the fifth area and it changes with equal ratio.
- the area occupied by the dots of the light reflecting portion 40 is changed to determine the above light reflectance, and the light reflectance in the fifth area in which no light reflecting portion 40 is provided is represented by the light reflectance of the diffuser plate 150 a.
- a plurality of areas 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 having different light reflectance are defined in the empty area overlapping portion DN of the diffuser plate 150 a .
- the light reflectance is reduced from the second area 52 to the fifth area 55 sequentially in this order such that the light reflectance decreases in a stepwise manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion farther therefrom.
- the brightness distribution of illumination light in the empty area overlapping portion DN is made moderate and the backlight device 12 can obtain a moderate illumination brightness distribution.
- the means for forming a plurality of areas 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 having different light reflectance a manufacturing method of the diffuser plate 150 a becomes simple and this contributes to a cost reduction.
- FIGS. 15 to 17 a pattern form of the color adjustment portion is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment.
- the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained.
- FIG. 15 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general configuration of a surface of a diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.
- FIG. 16 is a plan view explaining a color intensity distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.
- FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate in FIG. 16 .
- a dot pattern configured by circular dots is formed on a surface of a diffuser plate 250 a that faces the hot cathode tube 17 .
- Each dot is formed by printing on a surface of the diffuser plate 250 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having light reflectivity and also containing phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment. Therefore, each dot functions as the light reflecting portion 40 and also functions as a color adjustment portion 60 .
- the light reflecting portion 40 and the color adjustment portion 60 are formed in a same layer.
- the color adjustment portion 60 may be formed by any pigments or dyes that provide cyan color. Phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment is excellent in durability and preferable for the environment.
- a color of cyan has an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than the wavelength of 575 nm that is a crossing point of a color intensity curve of green (Sg) and a color intensity curve of red (Sr).
- a color of blue has an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than the wavelength of 500 nm that is a crossing point of a color intensity curve of green (Sg) and a color intensity curve of blue (Sb).
- the color adjustment portion 60 is not limited to be configured by a cyan coloring material but may be configured by a coloring material having an absorption band in the light of relatively long wavelength, and is configured preferably by a color having an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than 500 nm.
- a color phase between cyan and blue and having an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than 500 nm can be used for the color adjustment portion 60 .
- the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 60 changes in every area from the light source overlapping portion DA toward the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the dot pattern of the color adjustment portion 60 changes so that the color intensity of cyan changes in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate 250 a as illustrated in FIGS. 16 and 17 .
- the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 60 is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA of the diffuser plate 250 a , and the color intensity of the color adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward a portion farther therefrom.
- No color adjustment portion 60 is formed on the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end in FIG. 17 ) and the end portions has color of the diffuser plate 250 a .
- the diffuser plate 250 a has relatively greater color intensity in the light source overlapping portion DA than the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the color intensity distribution of the color adjustment portion 60 is determined by an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 .
- An area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 is relatively great and uniform in the light source overlapping portion DA (see FIG. 15 ).
- an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner from the border between the empty area overlapping portion DN and the light source overlapping portion DA toward the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end).
- the area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 may be uniform and distances between the dots may be varied.
- a coloring material that provides cyan is provided as the color adjustment portion 60 at least on the light source overlapping portion DA of the diffuser plate 250 a.
- the light having a color phase of relatively long wavelength can be absorbed in the light source overlapping portion DA. Accordingly, even if the light exited from the light source overlapping portion DA takes on a yellow tinge, the light having a yellow color phase is absorbed by the color adjustment portion 60 and uniform white light is obtained.
- the color intensity of cyan changes in every area from the light source overlapping portion DA toward the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- the light exited from the diffuser plate 250 a may have different color intensity of yellow in every area due to difference in distance between every area and the hot cathode tube 17 . Even in such a case, with the above configuration, the color intensity of cyan is changed by the color adjustment portion 60 in every area of the diffuser plate 15 a and uniform white light is obtained.
- the color adjustment portion 60 and the light reflecting portion 40 form one layer. Therefore, separate forming processes for forming the color adjustment portion 60 and the light reflecting potion 40 are not necessary. This improves working efficiency.
- the present invention is not limited to the second embodiment, and may include a following modification.
- the color adjustment portion 60 of the diffuser plate 250 a may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 18 .
- FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a diffuser plate illustrating a forming pattern of a color adjustment portion.
- the light reflecting portion 40 is formed on a diffuser plate 350 a on a surface facing the hot cathode tube 17 , and a color adjustment portion 61 that provides cyan color is formed on a surface of the light reflecting portion 40 (a surface facing the hot cathode tube 17 ). That is, the color adjustment portion 61 is layered on the light reflecting portion 40 .
- Such a layered configuration is achieved by printing the light reflecting portion 40 on the surface of the diffuser plate 350 a first and printing the color adjustment portion 61 on the surface of the light reflecting portion 40 .
- the color adjustment portion 61 may be formed to be layered on the light reflecting portion 40 .
- a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 19 .
- a pattern form of the color adjustment portion is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment.
- the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained.
- FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.
- two kinds of dot patterns are formed on a surface of a diffuser plate 450 a that faces the hot cathode tube 17 .
- One of the dot patterns is formed by printing on a surface of the diffuser plate 450 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having light reflectivity and also containing phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment. Therefore, each of the dots included in the dot pattern functions as the light reflecting portion 40 and also functions as the color adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan color. An area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA.
- an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward a portion farther therefrom. Therefore, the cyan color intensity of the diffuser plate 450 a is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA, and the cyan color intensity decreases in the empty area overlapping portion DN toward a portion farther from the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the other one of the dot patterns configures a color adjustment portion 50 that is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on the empty area overlapping portion DN of the diffuser plate 450 a .
- An area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 is greatest at the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN in its short-side direction (Y1 end and Y2 end) and decreases in a continuous manner as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA. Therefore, the yellow color intensity of the diffuser plate 450 a is greatest at the end portions in the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end) that are farthest from the light source overlapping portion DA and decreases as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA.
- the color adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow and the color adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan are combined to adjust color precisely in every area on the diffuser plate 450 a .
- the illumination light is easy to take on yellow tinge. Therefore, the color adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan is formed on the light source overlapping portion DA to absorb the light of a color phase having relatively long wavelength and obtain uniform white light.
- the empty area overlapping portion DN the illumination light is easy to take on a blue tinge as is farther from the hot cathode tube 17 . Therefore, the color adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed on the empty area overlapping portion DN to absorb the light of a color phase having relatively short wavelength and obtain uniform white light.
- FIGS. 20 to 23 a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 20 to 23 .
- an arrangement pattern of the light sources is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment.
- the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained.
- FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in a backlight device.
- FIG. 21 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general configuration of a surface of a diffuser plate that faces cold cathode tubes.
- FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.
- FIG. 23 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.
- the positions of the diffuser plate that overlap the cold cathode tube 70 are indicated by A and A′.
- cold cathode tubes (light source) 70 are formed in an elongated tubular shape and they are arranged parallel to each other in an entire area of the bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 such that their length (axial direction) matches a long-side of the chassis 14 .
- a certain gap is provided between the adjacent cold cathode tubes 70 , 70 .
- the light reflecting portion 40 that is configured by a white dot pattern is formed mainly in a light source overlapping portion DA- 1 .
- the dot pattern is formed by printing on a surface of the diffuser plate 550 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having good light reflectivity.
- An area of each dot of the light reflecting portion 40 is greatest in the portion of the diffuser plate 550 a that overlaps the cold cathode tube 70 (light source overlapping portion DA- 1 ).
- an area of each dot of the light reflecting portion 40 decreases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the cold cathode tube 70 toward a portion farther therefrom. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 22 , the light reflectance of the diffuser plate 550 a is greatest in the light source overlapping portions DA- 1 and decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 toward a portion farther therefrom.
- the color adjustment portion 50 is formed mainly on the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 of the diffuser plate 550 a .
- the color adjustment portion 50 is configured by a dot pattern that provides yellow.
- the dot pattern is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on a surface of the diffuser plate 550 a .
- An area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 50 is greatest in a portion that is farthest from the cold cathode tube 70 (the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 ) and decreases in a continuous manner as is closer to the cold cathode tube 70 . Therefore, as illustrated in FIG.
- the yellow color intensity of the diffuser plate 550 a is greatest in the portion that is farthest from the cold cathode tube 70 (the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 ) and decreases as is closer to the cold cathode tube 70 .
- light output from the cold cathode tubes 70 first reaches the light source overlapping portions DA- 1 of the diffuser plate 550 a .
- the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 that includes the light reflecting portion 40 thereon has high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 , and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from the cold cathode tubes 70 .
- the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA- 1 is further reflected in the chassis 14 and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 .
- the light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This prevents occurrence of lamp images and substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in the backlight device 12 .
- the color adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed mainly on the empty area overlapping portion DN- 1 of the diffuser plate 550 a .
- the light of a specific color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion formed on the diffuser plate 550 a . Therefore, a part of illumination light may take on a blue tinge in a portion away from the cold cathode tube 70 and uniform white light may not be obtained.
- the color adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed in the empty area overlapping portions DN- 1 . Accordingly, the light of a blue color phase is absorbed by the color adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained.
- FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in the backlight device.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are formed in an elongated tubular shape.
- a plurality of cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in a portion of the chassis 14 such that a long-side direction (axial direction) thereof matches the long-side direction of the chassis 14 and they are arranged parallel to each other. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 24 , a bottom plate 31 of the chassis 14 (a portion facing a diffuser plate 550 a ) is defined in the short-side direction equally in a first end portion 31 A, a second end portion 31 B that is located at an end opposite from the first end portion 31 A and a middle portion 31 C that is sandwiched between the first end portion 31 A and the second end portion 31 B.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in the middle portion 31 C of the bottom plate 31 and a light source installation area LA- 1 is formed in the middle portion 31 C.
- no cold cathode tube 70 is arranged in the first end portion 31 A and the second end portion 31 B of the bottom plate 31 and an empty area LN- 1 is formed in the first end portion 31 A and the second end portion 31 B.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are held by lamp clips (not shown) to be supported with a small gap between the cold cathode tubes 70 and the bottom plate 31 of the chassis 14 .
- Heat transfer members 71 are disposed in the gap so as to be in contact with a part of the cold cathode tube 70 and the bottom plate 31 . Heat is transferred from the cold cathode tubes 17 that are lit and have high temperature to the chassis 14 via the heat transfer members 71 . Therefore, the temperature of the cold cathode tubes 70 is lowered at the portions in which the heat transfer members 71 are arranged and the coldest points are forcibly generated there. As a result, the brightness of each one of the cold cathode tubes 70 is improved and this contributes to power saving.
- a convex reflecting portion 72 extends along the long-side direction of the bottom plate 31 .
- the convex reflecting portion 72 is made of a synthetic resin and has a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity.
- Each convex reflecting portion 72 has two sloped surfaces 72 a , 72 a that face the cold cathode tubes 70 and are sloped toward the bottom plate 31 .
- the convex reflecting portion 72 is provided such that its longitudinal direction matches an axial direction of the cold cathode tubes 70 arranged in the light source installation area LA- 1 .
- One sloped surface 72 a directs light emitted from the cold cathode tubes 70 to the light guide plate 550 a .
- the sloped surfaces 72 a of the convex reflecting portion 72 reflect the light emitted from the cold cathode tubes 70 to the diffuser plate 550 a side. Accordingly, the emission light is efficiently used.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged only in the middle portion 31 of the bottom plate 31 of the chassis 14 . Therefore, compared to the case in that the cold cathode tubes 70 are installed evenly in the entire chassis 14 , the number of cold cathode tubes 70 can be reduced. This achieves a low cost and power saving of the backlight device 12 .
- FIG. 25 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in the backlight device.
- a bottom plate 32 of the chassis (a portion facing the diffuser plate 550 a ) is defined in the short-side direction equally in a first end portion 32 A, a second end portion 32 B that is located at an end opposite from the first end portion 32 A and a middle portion 32 C that is sandwiched between the first end portion 32 A and the second end portion 32 B.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in the first end portion 32 A and the second end portion 32 B of the bottom plate 32 and light source installation areas LA- 2 are formed in the first end portion 32 A and the second end portion 32 B.
- no cold cathode tube 70 is arranged in the middle portion 32 C of the bottom plate 32 and an empty area LN- 2 is formed in the middle portion 32 C.
- the cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in the first end portion 32 A and the second end portion 32 B of the bottom plate 32 of the chassis 14 , and no cold cathode tube 70 is arranged in the middle portion 32 C. Therefore, compared to the case in that the cold cathode tubes 70 are installed evenly in the entire chassis 14 , the number of cold cathode tubes 70 can be reduced. This achieves a low cost and power saving of the backlight device 12 .
- FIGS. 26 to 30 a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 26 to 30 .
- the arrangement pattern of the light sources is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment.
- the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained.
- FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device.
- FIG. 27 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources in a chassis.
- FIG. 28 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate.
- FIG. 29 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.
- FIG. 30 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.
- the points that overlap an LED light source are indicated by C and C′.
- an LED board 81 is disposed on an inner surface of a bottom plate 33 of the chassis 14 .
- LED light sources (light sources) 80 are mounted on the LED board 81 .
- the LED board 81 includes a light reflecting sheet 82 and a plurality of LED light sources 80 .
- the light reflecting sheet 82 is disposed on a light output side surface of the LED board 81 (on a side that faces a diffuser plate 650 a ).
- the LED light sources 80 are arranged to be exposed from openings (not shown) formed in the light reflecting sheet 82 .
- Each LED light source 80 is surrounded by opening edge of the opening formed in the light reflecting sheet 82 .
- the LED board 81 is formed of one plate corresponding to the liquid crystal panel 11 . However, the LED board 81 may be divided into several pieces and the divided pieces of LED board 81 may be arranged on a plane.
- the light reflecting sheet 82 provided on the LED board 81 is a synthetic resin sheet having a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity. It is placed so as to cover almost entire surface of the LED board 81 except the portions in which the LED light sources 80 are arranged.
- Each LED light source 80 emits white light.
- Each LED light source 80 may have three LED chips (not shown) each of which emits light of single color of red, green and blue or may have a blue LED chip and a yellow phosphor.
- the LED light sources 80 are arranged on a plane surface in a hexagonal close-packed arrangement. Therefore, each interval between the adjacent LED light sources 80 , 80 is equal.
- two kinds of dot patterns are formed on the diffuser plate 650 a .
- One of the dot patterns configures a light reflecting portion 90 that is formed by printing a paste containing metal oxide having good light reflectivity (such as titanium oxide) on a surface of the diffuser plate 650 a .
- the light reflecting portion 90 is formed over an entire area of each portion that overlaps the LED light source 80 .
- the light reflecting portion 90 is formed by forming each dot all over the entire area of the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 .
- the light reflecting portion 90 is also formed in a portion of the diffuser plate 650 a that does not overlap the LED light source 80 (empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 ).
- the area of each dot continuously reduces in a direction away from the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 .
- a dot area of the light reflecting portion 90 is smallest. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG.
- the light reflectance of the diffuser plate 650 a is highest in the light source overlapping portions DA- 2 and decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 as is farther away from the light source overlapping portions DA- 2 .
- the other one of the dot patterns configures a color adjustment portion 100 .
- the color adjustment portion 100 is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 .
- the color adjustment portion 100 is formed such that an area of each dot decreases in a continuous manner from a center of the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 (indicated by F in FIGS. 28 and 30 ) that is farthest from the adjacent three LED light sources 80 , 80 , 80 toward the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 corresponding to each of the adjacent three LED light sources 80 , 80 , 80 .
- an area of each dot of the color adjustment portion 100 increases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 toward a portion farther away therefrom. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 30 , the yellow color intensity of the diffuser plate 650 a is strongest in a middle portion of the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 (indicated by F in FIG. 30 ) and decreases as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 .
- the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 does not provide yellow color but provides color of the light reflecting portion 90 .
- light output from the LED light source 80 first reaches the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 of the diffuser plate 650 a .
- the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 that includes the light reflecting portion 90 thereon has high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 , and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from the LED light source 80 .
- the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA- 2 is further reflected by the reflecting sheet 82 in the chassis 14 and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 .
- the light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved.
- substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in the backlight device 12 .
- the light of a specific color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion 90 formed on the diffuser plate 650 a . Therefore, a part of illumination light may take on a blue tinge in a portion away from the LED light source 80 and uniform white light may not be obtained.
- the color adjustment portion 100 that provides yellow is formed on the empty area overlapping portion DN- 2 of the diffuser plate 650 a . Accordingly, the light of a blue color phase is absorbed by the color adjustment portion 100 and uniform white light is obtained.
- the LED light sources 80 may be arranged on the LED board 81 as illustrated in FIGS. 31 and 32 as a modification of the fifth embodiment.
- the LED light sources 80 are arranged in a hexagonal close-packed arrangement so that the adjacent LED light sources 80 are arranged at equal intervals.
- the LED light sources 80 may be aligned vertically and horizontally to be arranged in a grid.
- the LED light sources 80 may be aligned vertically and horizontally to be arranged in a staggered arrangement such that the adjacent LED light sources 80 are offset from each other.
- each dot of the dot pattern of the light reflecting portion and the color adjustment portion is formed in a round.
- the shape of each dot is not limited thereto but may be any shape such as a square or a polygonal shape.
- the optical sheet set includes a combination of a diffuser plate, a diffuser sheet, a lens sheet and a reflective polarizing plate.
- Two diffuser plates may be layered as optical sheets.
- the light source installation area is provided in the middle portion of the bottom plate of the chassis.
- the light source installation area may be provided in any other positions according to the amount of rays of light from the light source and use conditions of the backlight device.
- the light source installation area may be provided in end portions of the bottom plate or may be provided in the middle portion and one end portion of the bottom plate.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a lighting device, a display device and a television receiver.
- A liquid crystal panel included in a liquid crystal display device does not emit light, and thus a backlight device is required as a separate lighting device. The backlight device is arranged behind the liquid crystal panel (i.e., on a side opposite from a display surface side). It includes a chassis having an opening on a liquid crystal panel side, a plurality of fluorescent tubes (for example, cold cathode tubes) accommodated in the chassis as lamps, and an optical member (a diffuser plate and the like) provided at the opening of the chassis for efficiently directing light emitted from the cold cathode tubes to a liquid crystal panel.
- In such a backlight device including cold cathode tubes emitting linear light, the optical member converts linear light into planer light to unify illumination light. However, if the linear light is not sufficiently converted into the planer light, striped lamp images are generated along the arrangement of the cold cathode tubes, and this deteriorates display quality of the liquid crystal display device.
- To obtain uniform illumination light from the backlight device, it is desirable to increase the number of cold cathode tubes and reduce a distance between the adjacent cold cathode tubes or to increase a diffusion rate of a diffuser plate, for example. However, increase of the number of cold cathode tubes increases a cost of the backlight device and also increases power consumption. Increase of the diffusion rate of the diffuser plate fails to improve brightness and causes the problem that the number of cold cathode tubes is required to be increased. A backlight device disclosed in
Patent Document 1 has been known as one that suppresses power consumption and ensures uniform brightness. - The backlight device described in
Patent Document 1 includes a diffuser plate provided on a light output side of a plurality of cold cathode tubes. A dimming dot pattern having a light transmission rate (opening rate) from 62 to 71% and haze from 90 to 99% is printed on the light diffuser plate. A dot diameter of each dot is great directly above the cold cathode tubes and the dot diameter becomes smaller as is farther from the cold cathode tubes. With such a configuration, the light emitted from the cold cathode tubes is efficiently used and the backlight device irradiates light having a sufficient brightness value and uniform brightness without increasing power consumption of the light source. - [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-117023
- In the device disclosed in
Patent Document 1, ink used for forming a dimming dot pattern contains a light blocking material and light blocking materials that provide white are mainly used. White ink has light reflectance with respect to short-wavelength light that is higher than light reflectance with respect to long-wavelength light. Therefore, light (color phase) of short-wavelength is easier to be reflected directly above the cold cathode tubes. This causes the rays of light that have transmitted through the ink to take on a yellow tinge that is a color phase of relatively long-wavelength and illumination light also may be yellow-tinged. In portions far from the cold cathode tubes, rays of light reflected by the dimming dot pattern may be blue-tinged illumination light. - The present invention was made in view of the foregoing circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device that provides substantially uniform white illumination light without color unevenness. Another object of the present invention is to provide a display device including such a lighting device and a television receiver including such a display device.
- To solve the above problem, a lighting device of the present invention includes a light source, a chassis configured to house the light source and have an opening for light from the light source to pass through, and an optical member provided to face the light source and cover the opening. The chassis includes a light source installation area in which the light source is arranged and an empty area in which no light source is arranged. The optical member includes a light source overlapping portion that overlaps the light source installation area and an empty area overlapping portion that overlaps the empty area. A light reflecting portion configured to reflect light from the light source is provided on at least the light source overlapping portion of the optical member such that light reflectance in a surface area of the light source overlapping potion is relatively higher than light reflectance in a surface area of the empty area overlapping portion. A color adjustment portion configured to adjust color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty area overlapping portion is provided on the optical member.
- With such a configuration, light output from the light source first reaches the light source overlapping portion of the optical member that is the portion having high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion (does not pass through the light source overlapping portion), and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from the light source. On the other hand, the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion is further reflected in the chassis and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion. The light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This achieves substantially a uniform brightness distribution in the lighting device without arranging a plurality of light sources. The light reflecting portion is provided on the optical member, and therefore, the light of certain color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion. This may cause a part of illumination light to take on a yellow tinge and uniform white light may not be obtained. In the present invention, the color adjustment portion that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty portion overlapping portion is formed on the optical member. The color adjustment portion adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion and the empty area overlapping portion to accelerate or suppress absorption of the light of certain color phase. This adjusts color of output light and white illumination light without color unevenness is obtained.
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FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a television receiver according to a first embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device provided in the television receiver; -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device along the short-side direction; -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid crystal display device along the long-side direction; -
FIG. 5 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis provided in the liquid crystal display device; -
FIG. 6 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate included in the backlight device; -
FIG. 7 is a plan view explaining a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube; -
FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in a short-side direction of the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 9 is a typical view illustrating a plan arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 10 is a spectral plot of each color; -
FIG. 11 is a plan view explaining a distribution of color intensity of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube; -
FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 11 ; -
FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube according to one modification; -
FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 13 ; -
FIG. 15 is a typical view illustrating a plan arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate included in a backlight device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 16 is a plan view explaining a color intensity distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube; -
FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 16 ; -
FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating amain portion of the diffuser plate according to one modification in which a formation pattern of a color adjustment portion is modified; -
FIG. 19 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion that are formed on a diffuser plate included in a backlight device according to a third embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in a backlight device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 21 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 23 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 24 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement of cold cathode tubes in a chassis according to another modification; -
FIG. 25 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement of cold cathode tubes in a chassis according to additional modification; -
FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 27 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources in a chassis; -
FIG. 28 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate; -
FIG. 29 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 30 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate; -
FIG. 31 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources according to one modification; and -
FIG. 32 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources according to another modification. - The first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 1 to 10 . - First, a construction of a television receiver TV including a liquid
crystal display device 10 will be explained. - As illustrated in
FIG. 1 , the television receiver TV of the present embodiment includes the liquidcrystal display device 10, front and rear cabinets Ca, Cb that house the liquidcrystal display device 10 therebetween, a power source P, a tuner T and a stand S. An overall shape of the liquid crystal display device (display device) 10 is a landscape rectangular. The liquidcrystal display device 10 is housed in a vertical position such that a short-side direction thereof matches a vertical line. As illustrated inFIG. 2 , it includes aliquid crystal panel 11 as a display panel, and a backlight device 12 (lighting device), which is an external light source. They are integrally held by a frame-like bezel 13 and the like. - Next, the
liquid crystal panel 11 and thebacklight device 12 included in the liquidcrystal display device 10 will be explained (seeFIGS. 2 to 4 ). - The liquid crystal panel (display panel) 11 is constructed such that a pair of glass substrates is bonded together with a predetermined gap therebetween and liquid crystal is sealed between the glass substrates. On one of the glass substrates, switching components (e.g., TFTs) connected to source lines and gate lines that are perpendicular to each other, pixel electrodes connected to the switching components, and an alignment film are provided. On the other substrate, a color filter having color sections such as R (red), G (green) and B (blue) color sections arranged in a predetermined pattern, counter electrodes, and an alignment film are provided. Polarizing
plates FIGS. 3 and 4 ). - As illustrated in
FIG. 2 , thebacklight device 12 includes achassis 14, an optical sheet set 15 (a diffuser plate (optical member, light diffuser member) 15 a and a plurality ofoptical sheets 15 b that are disposed between thediffuser plate 15 a and the liquid crystal panel 11), and frames 16. Thechassis 14 has a substantially box-shape and anopening 14 b on the light output side (on theliquid crystal panel 11 side). Theframes 16 arranged along the long sides of thechassis 14 hold the long-side edges of thediffuser plate 15 a to thechassis 14. The long-side edges of thelight guide plate 15 a are sandwiched between thechassis 14 and theframes 16. A hot cathode tube (light source) 17, lamp clips 18,relay connectors 19 andlamp holders 20 are installed in thechassis 14. The lamp clips 18 are provided for mounting thehot cathode tube 17 to thechassis 14. Therelay connectors 19 are connected to ends of thehot cathode tube 17 for making electrical connection. Thelamp holder 20 collectively covers each end of thehot cathode tube 17 and therelay connector 19. A light output side of thebacklight device 12 is a side closer to thediffuser plate 15 a than thehot cathode tube 17. - The
chassis 14 is prepared by processing a metal plate. It is formed in a substantially shallow box shape. As illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 , it includes arectangular bottom plate 30 andouter rims 21, each of which extends upright from the corresponding side of thebottom plate 30 and has a substantially U shape. Theouter rims 21 include short-sideouter rims 21 a and long-sideouter rims 21 b provided at the short sides and the long sides of thechassis 14, respectively. Thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14 has a plurality of mountingholes 22 along the long-side edges thereof. Therelay connectors 19 are mounted in the mounting holes 22. As illustrated inFIG. 3 , fixingholes 14 c are provided on the upper surface of thechassis 14 along the long-sideouter rims 21 b to bind thebezel 13, theframes 16 and thechassis 14 together with screws and the like. - A
light reflecting sheet 23 is disposed on an inner surface of thebottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 (on a side that faces the hot cathode tube 17). Thelight reflecting sheet 23 is a synthetic resin sheet having a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity. Thelight reflecting sheet 23 is placed so as to cover almost entire inner surface of thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14. As illustrated inFIG. 4 , long-side edges of thelight reflecting sheet 23 are lifted so as to cover the long-sideouter rims 21 b of thechassis 14 and sandwiched between thechassis 14 and thediffuser plate 15 a. With thislight reflecting sheet 23, light emitted from thehot cathode tubes 17 is reflected to thelight guide plate 15 a. - The
hot cathode tube 17 is formed in an elongated tubular. Thehot cathode tube 17 is arranged in thechassis 14 such that the longitudinal direction (the axial direction) matches the long-side direction of thechassis 14. As illustrated inFIG. 5 , thebottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 (the portion facing thediffuser plate 15 a) is defined in three portions in the short-side direction of thechassis 14. The three portions include afirst end portion 30A, asecond end portion 30B that is located on an opposite side end from thefirst end portion 30A and amiddle portion 30C that is sandwiched between thefirst end portion 30A and thesecond end portion 30B. Thehot cathode tube 17 is arranged in themiddle portion 30C of thebottom plate 30 and a light source installation area LA is formed there. Nohot cathode tube 17 is arranged in thefirst end portion 30A and thesecond end portion 30B of thebottom plate 30 and an empty area LN is formed there. Thehot cathode tube 17 is partially arranged in the middle portion of thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14 to form the light source installation area LA. An area of the light source installation area LA is smaller than that of the empty area LN. - On the outer surface of the
bottom plate 30 of the chassis 14 (on a side opposite from the hot cathode tube 17), as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 , the inverter board set 29 is provided so as to overlap the light source installation area LA, more specifically, to overlap each end of thehot cathode tube 17. Drive power is supplied from the inverter board set 29 to thehot cathode tube 17. Each end of thehot cathode tube 17 has a terminal (not shown) for receiving drive power and electrical connection between the terminal and aharness 29 a (seeFIG. 4 ) derived from the inverter board set 29 enables supply of high-voltage drive power. Such electrical connection is established in arelay connector 19 in which the end of thehot cathode tube 17 is fitted. Theholders 20 are mounted so as to cover therelay connectors 19. - The
holders 20 that cover the ends of thehot cathode tube 17 and therelay connectors 19 are made of white synthetic resin. Each of them has an elongated substantially box shape that extends along the short side of thechassis 14 as illustrated inFIG. 2 . As illustrated inFIG. 4 , eachholder 20 has steps on the front side such that thediffuser plate 15 a and theliquid crystal panel 11 are held at different levels. A part of theholder 20 is placed on top of apart of the corresponding short-sideouter rim 21 a of thechassis 14 and forms a side wall of thebacklight device 12 together with theouter rim 21 a. Aninsertion pin 24 projects from a surface of theholder 20 that faces theouter rim 21 a of thechassis 14. Theholder 20 is mounted to thechassis 14 by inserting theinsertion pin 24 into theinsertion hole 25 provided in the top surface of theouter rim 21 a of thechassis 14. - The steps of the
holder 20 that covers the end of thehot cathode tube 17 include three surfaces that are parallel to thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14. The three surfaces include afirst surface 20 a, asecond surface 20 b and athird surface 20 c. The short-side rim of thediffuser plate 15 a is placed on thefirst surface 20 a that is located at a lowest level. A slantedcover 26 extends from thefirst surface 20 a toward thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14 with being slanted. A short-side rim of theliquid crystal panel 11 is placed on thesecond surface 20 b of theholder 20. Thethird surface 20 c that is located at a highest level overlaps theouter rim 21 a of thechassis 14 and comes in contact with thebezel 13. - On the
opening 14 b side of thechassis 14, the optical sheet set 15 including the diffuser plate (optical member, light diffusing member) 15 a and theoptical sheets 15 b is provided. Thediffuser plate 15 a is configured by a plate-like member of synthetic resin and light scattering particles dispersed therein. Thediffuser plate 15 a diffuses linear light emitted from thehot cathode tube 17 that is a linear light source and also reflects light emitted from thehot cathode tube 17. Each of the short-side rims of thediffuser plate 15 a is placed on thefirst surface 20 a of the holder and does not receive a vertical force. Thus, thediffuser plate 15 a covers theopening 14 b of thechassis 14. - The
optical sheets 15 b provided on thediffuser plate 15 a includes a diffuser sheet, a lens sheet and a reflection-type polarizing plate layered in this order from thediffuser plate 15 a side. Theoptical sheets 15 b convert the light that is emitted from thehot cathode tube 17 and passes through thediffuser plate 15 a to planar light. The liquidcrystal display panel 11 is disposed on the top surface of the top layer of theoptical sheets 15 b. Theoptical sheets 15 b are held between thediffuser plate 15 a and theliquid crystal panel 11. - A light reflecting function of the
diffuser plate 15 a will be explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 6 to 8 . -
FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of the diffuser plate on its surface that faces the hot cathode tube.FIG. 7 is a plan view explaining a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube inFIG. 6 .FIG. 8 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in a short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 6 . InFIGS. 6 to 8 , the long-side direction of the diffuser plate is referred to as an X-axis direction and the short-side direction thereof is referred to as a Y-axis direction. InFIG. 8 , a horizontal axis shows the Y-axis direction (short-side direction) and the light reflectance is plotted on a graph from an end portion close to Y1 (Y1 end) to a middle portion in the Y-axis direction and from the middle portion to an end portion closer to Y2 (Y2 end) in the Y-axis direction. - As illustrated in
FIG. 6 , alight reflecting portion 40 configured by a white dot pattern is formed on thediffuser plate 15 a on a surface opposite from thehot cathode tube 17. In the present embodiment, each dot of thelight reflecting portion 40 is formed in a circular shape. The dot pattern forming thelight reflecting portion 40 is formed by printing paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide), for example, on the surface of thediffuser plate 15 a. Preferable printing means is screen printing, inkjet printing and the like. - The
light reflecting portion 40 facing thehot cathode tube 17 has a light reflectance of 80% in its surface area and thediffuser plate 15 a facing thehot cathode tube 17 has a light reflectance of 30% in its surface area. Thus, thelight reflecting portion 40 has a relatively high light reflectance. In the present embodiment, the light reflectance of each material is represented by an average light reflectance measured with a LAV of CM-3700d (measurement area diameter of 25.4 mm) manufactured by Konica Minolta inside the measurement circle. The light reflectance of thelight reflecting portion 40 is measured in the following method. Thelight reflecting portion 40 is formed over an entire surface of a glass substrate and the light reflectance of the surface is measured according to the above measurement means. The light reflectance of thelight reflecting portion 40 is preferably 80% or more, and more preferably 90% or more. Thus, as the light reflectance of thelight reflecting portion 40 is higher, the light reflection is controlled more precisely and accurately according to a pattern form of the dot pattern such as the number of dots or the area of each dot. - The
diffuser plate 15 a has a long-side direction (X-axis direction) and a short-side direction (Y-axis direction). The light reflectance of the surface of thediffuser plate 15 a facing thehot cathode tube 17 changes along the short-side direction by changing the dot pattern of thelight reflecting portion 40 as illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8 . In other words, on the surface of thediffuser plate 15 a facing thehot cathode tube 17, the light reflectance of the portion (referred to as a light source overlapping portion DA) that overlaps the light source installation area LA (a portion in which thehot cathode tube 17 is arranged) is higher than the light reflectance of the portion (referred to as an empty area overlapping portion DN) that overlaps the empty area LN (a portion in which nohot cathode tube 17 is arranged). More specifically, in the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 15 a, the light reflectance is uniform to be 50% and represents a maximum value on thediffuser plate 15 a. On the other hand, in the empty area overlapping surface DN of thediffuser plate 15 a, the light reflectance decreases in a continuous and gradual manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion away from the light source overlapping portion DA. The light reflectance is set to a lowest value that is 30% at two end portions (Y1 end and Y2 end inFIG. 8 ) of the empty area overlapping portion DN in the short-side direction (Y-axis direction). - A distribution of light reflectance of the
diffuser plate 15 a is determined by an area of each dot of thelight reflecting portion 40. The light reflectance of thelight reflecting portion 40 is higher than the light reflectance of thediffuser plate 15 a. Therefore, the light reflectance relatively increases by relatively increasing the area occupied by the dots of thelight reflecting portion 40 and the light reflectance relatively decreases by relatively decreasing the area occupied by the dots of thelight reflecting portion 40. Specifically, in the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 15 a, the area occupied by the dots of thelight reflecting portion 40 is relatively large and uniform. The area occupied by the dots of thelight reflecting portion 40 continuously decreases from a border between the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the two end portions of the empty area overlapping portions DN in the short-side direction. As control means for controlling the light reflectance, the area of each dot of thelight reflecting portion 40 may be set to be same and a distance between the dots may be changed. - A color adjustment function of the
diffuser plate 15 a will be explained in detail with reference toFIGS. 9 to 12 . -
FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.FIG. 10 is a spectral plot of each color.FIG. 11 is a plan view explaining a distribution of color intensity of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.FIG. 12 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 11 . - As illustrated in
FIG. 9 , acolor adjustment portion 50 configured by a dot pattern that provides yellow is formed on thediffuser plate 15 a on a surface facing thehot cathode tube 17. In the present embodiment, each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 is formed in a circular shape. The dot pattern forming thecolor adjustment portion 50 is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment, for example, on the surface of thediffuser plate 15 a. Preferable printing means is screen printing, inkjet printing and the like. Thecolor adjustment portion 50 may be formed by any pigments or dyes that provide yellow color. Phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment is excellent in durability and preferable for the environment. - Colors of the
color adjustment portion 50 will be explained. InFIG. 10 , each of x(λ), y(λ) z(λ) represents a color-matching function that is defined in the CIE color system. The color-matching function is also called a visibility function and represents wavelength dependency of three levels of sensitivity that human beings can sense. InFIG. 10 , Sr, Sg, Sb represent color intensity curves of red (Sr), green (Sg) and blue (Sb), respectively. Each of the color intensity curves of Sr, Sg, Sb has one of the three levels of sensitivity function that is most dominant. The color intensity curves are obtained by the following formulas (1) to (3). -
Sr=x(λ)/(2*(y(λ)+z(λ)) Formula (1) -
Sg=y(λ)/(2*(x(λ)+z(λ) Formula (2) -
Sb=z(λ)/(2*(x(λ)+y(λ) Formula (3) - In the present embodiment, the color of yellow has an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than the wavelength of 500 nm that is a crossing point of the color intensity curve of green (Sg) and the color intensity curve of blue (Sb). The color of red has an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than the wavelength of 575 nm that is a crossing point of the color intensity curve of green (Sg) and the color intensity curve of red (Sr). In the present embodiment, the
color adjustment portion 50 is not limited to be configured by a yellow coloring material but may be configured by a coloring material having an absorption band in the light of relatively short wavelength, and is configured preferably by a coloring material of a color having an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than 575 nm. A color phase between yellow and red and having an absorption band in the light of wavelength shorter than 575 nm can be used for thecolor adjustment portion 50. - On the
diffuser plate 15 a, the color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 50 changes in every area from the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the light source overlapping portion DA. On thediffuser plate 15 a, the dot pattern of thecolor adjustment portion 50 changes so that the color intensity of yellow changes in the short-side direction of thediffuser plate 15 a as illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12 . On thediffuser plate 15 a, nocolor adjustment portion 50 is formed on the light source overlapping portion DA and the light source overlapping portion DA has a color of thediffuser plate 15 a or a color or thelight reflecting portion 40. In the empty area overlapping portion DN, the color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 50 increases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the hot cathode tube 17 (the light source overlapping portion DA) toward a portion away therefrom. The color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 50 is greatest in the end portions that are farthest from the hot cathode tube 17 (Y1 end and Y2 end inFIG. 12 ). Thus, thediffuser plate 15 a has relatively greater color intensity in the empty area overlapping portion DN than the light source overlapping portion DA. - The color intensity distribution of the
color adjustment portion 50 is determined by an area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50. An area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 is greatest and uniform in the portion of thediffuser plate 15 a that is farthest from the light source overlapping portion DA (seeFIG. 9 ). In the empty area overlapping portion DN, an area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 decreases in a continuous manner from the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN in its short-side direction (Y1 end and Y2 end) toward the border between the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN. As adjusting means for adjusting the color intensity, the area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 may be uniform and distances between the dots may be varied. - As explained before, according to the present embodiment, the
diffuser plate 15 a includes the light source overlapping portion DA that overlaps the light source installation area LA and the empty area overlapping portion DN that overlaps the empty area LN. Thelight reflecting portion 40 that reflects light from thehot cathode tube 17 is formed on at least the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 15 a. Accordingly, the light reflectance of the surface area of the light source overlapping portion DA is relatively higher than the light reflectance of the surface area of the empty area overlapping portion DN. Further, thecolor adjustment portion 50 that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN is formed on thediffuser plate 15 a. - With such a configuration, light output from the
hot cathode tube 17 first reaches the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 15 a that is the portion havinglight reflecting portion 40 thereon and the relatively high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA (does not pass through the light source overlapping portion DA), and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from thehot cathode tubes 17. On the other hand, the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA is further reflected in thechassis 14 and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion DN. The light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This achieves power saving without arranging a plurality ofhot cathode tubes 17 and substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in thebacklight device 12. Thelight reflecting portion 40 is provided on thediffuser plate 15 a, and therefore, the light of certain color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by thelight reflecting portion 40. This may cause a part of illumination light to take on a blue tinge in a portion away from thehot cathode tube 17 and uniform white light may not be obtained. In the present embodiment, thecolor adjustment portion 50 that adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty portion overlapping portion DN is formed on thediffuser plate 15 a. Thecolor adjustment portion 50 adjusts color of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN to accelerate or suppress absorption of the light of certain color phase. This adjusts color of output light and white illumination light without color unevenness is obtained. - In the present embodiment, a coloring material that provides yellow color is provided as the
color adjustment portion 50 at least on the empty area overlapping portion DN. - With this configuration, the light having a color phase of relatively short wavelength can be absorbed in the empty area overlapping portion DN. Accordingly, even if the light exited from the empty area overlapping portion DN takes on a blue tinge, the light having a blue color phase is absorbed by the
color adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained. - In the present embodiment, the color intensity of yellow changes in every area from the empty area overlapping portion DN toward the light source overlapping portion DA.
- The light exited from the
diffuser plate 15 a may have different color intensity of blue in every area due to difference in distance between every area and thehot cathode tube 17. Even in such a case, with the above configuration, the color intensity of yellow is changed in every area of thediffuser plate 15 a by thecolor adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained. - In the present embodiment, the
color adjustment portion 50 has color intensity of yellow increasing as is farther away from thehot cathode tube 17. - Light emitted from the
hot cathode tube 17 and reflected by thelight reflecting portion 40 is likely to increase color intensity of blue as is farther away from thehot cathode tube 17. Thecolor adjustment portion 50 has color intensity of yellow increasing as is farther away from thehot cathode tube 17 to absorb the light of a color phase of blue and obtain uniform white light. - In the present embodiment, the
color adjustment portion 50 has the greatest color intensity of yellow in the portions farthest away from thehot cathode tube 17. - With this configuration, the color intensity of yellow is greatest in the portion that is easy to take on a blue tinge. This suppresses the illumination light to take on a blue tinge and uniform white light is obtained.
- The
light reflecting portion 40 is configured by a dot pattern having light reflectivity. The light reflection is controlled by a pattern form (the number (the density) of dots or an area of each dot). Accordingly, uniform illumination brightness can be easily obtained. - In the present embodiment, the
light reflecting portion 40 is configured such that the light reflectance decreases in a continuous and gradual manner from the portion having higher light reflectance to the portion having lower light reflectance. - The light reflectance of the
light reflecting portion 40 on thediffuser plate 15 a decreases in a continuous and gradual manner so as to have a gradation. This makes the distribution of illumination light brightness to be moderate and the lighting device can achieve a uniform distribution of illumination light brightness. - In the present embodiment, the
diffuser plate 15 a is configured by a light diffusing member that diffuses light from thehot cathode tube 17. - With this configuration, the light transmission of the light source overlapping portion DA and the empty area overlapping portion DN of the
diffuser plate 15 a is controlled by changing the light reflectance distribution of thelight reflecting portion 40, and also the light diffusing member diffuses light. This achieves uniform brightness in the surface area of thebacklight device 12. - According to the present embodiment, the
chassis 14 is configured such that the portion facing thediffuser plate 15 a (the bottom plate 30) is defined in thefirst end portion 30A, thesecond end portion 30B and themiddle portion 30C that is sandwiched between the first andsecond end portions second end portion 30B is on the opposite end side from thefirst end portion 30A. One of thefirst end portion 30A, thesecond end portion 30B and themiddle portion 30C corresponds to the light source installation area LA and the rest corresponds to the empty areas LN. - With this configuration, compared to a case in which a plurality of
hot cathode tubes 17 are installed evenly in theentire chassis 14, the number ofhot cathode tubes 17 is reduced and a cost reduction and power saving of thebacklight device 12 are achieved. - In the present embodiment, an area of the light source installation area LA is smaller than that of the empty area LN in the
chassis 14. - In such a case that the area of the light source installation area LA is smaller than that of the empty area LN, with the configuration of the present embodiment, the light from the
hot cathode tube 17 is reflected by thelight reflecting portion 40 to be guided to the empty area LN in thechassis 14. This maintains uniform illumination brightness and achieves cost reduction and power saving. - In the present embodiment, the light source installation area LA is provided in the
middle portion 30C of thechassis 14. - This ensures sufficient brightness in a middle portion of the
backlight device 12 and also ensures brightness in a middle portion of the display in the liquidcrystal display device 10 including thebacklight device 12 and the liquidcrystal display device 10 obtains good visibility. - The present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and may include a following modification. The light reflectance distribution of the
diffuser plate 15 a may be modified as illustrated inFIGS. 13 and 14 .FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a light reflectance distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube according to one modification.FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 13 . In the following modification, the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 13 and 14 , the light source overlapping portion DA of adiffuser plate 150 a (a surface of the portion that overlaps the light source installation area LA facing the hot cathode tube 17) has the highest light reflectance, and in the empty area overlapping portion DN of thediffuser plate 150 a (a surface of the portion that overlaps the empty area LN facing the hot cathode tube 17), the light reflectance decreases in a stepwise and gradual manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion farther therefrom. Namely, in the empty area overlapping portion DN of thediffuser plate 150 a, the light reflectance changes step by step along the short-side direction (Y-axis direction) of thediffuser plate 150 a. More specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 13 , afirst area 51 having relatively high light reflectance is provided in the light source overlapping portion DA that is located in the middle portion of thediffuser plate 150 a, andsecond areas first area 51 are provided next to thefirst area 51 in the empty area overlapping portion DN located at the sides of thefirst area 51. Further, in the empty area overlapping portion DN,third areas second areas 52 are provided at the sides of thesecond areas 52,fourth areas third areas 53 are provided at the sides of thethird areas 53, andfifth areas fourth areas 54 are provided at the sides of thefourth areas 54. - In this modification, as illustrated in
FIG. 14 , the light reflectance of thediffuser plate 150 a is 50% in the first area, 45% in the second area, 40% in the third area, 35% in the fourth area, and 30% in the fifth area and it changes with equal ratio. In the first to fourth areas, the area occupied by the dots of thelight reflecting portion 40 is changed to determine the above light reflectance, and the light reflectance in the fifth area in which nolight reflecting portion 40 is provided is represented by the light reflectance of thediffuser plate 150 a. - A plurality of
areas diffuser plate 150 a. The light reflectance is reduced from thesecond area 52 to thefifth area 55 sequentially in this order such that the light reflectance decreases in a stepwise manner from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward the portion farther therefrom. - According to such a configuration, the brightness distribution of illumination light in the empty area overlapping portion DN (empty area LN) is made moderate and the
backlight device 12 can obtain a moderate illumination brightness distribution. With the means for forming a plurality ofareas diffuser plate 150 a becomes simple and this contributes to a cost reduction. - Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 15 to 17 . In the second embodiment, a pattern form of the color adjustment portion is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained. -
FIG. 15 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general configuration of a surface of a diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.FIG. 16 is a plan view explaining a color intensity distribution of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube.FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate inFIG. 16 . - As illustrated in
FIG. 15 , a dot pattern configured by circular dots is formed on a surface of adiffuser plate 250 a that faces thehot cathode tube 17. Each dot is formed by printing on a surface of thediffuser plate 250 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having light reflectivity and also containing phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment. Therefore, each dot functions as thelight reflecting portion 40 and also functions as acolor adjustment portion 60. In other words, thelight reflecting portion 40 and thecolor adjustment portion 60 are formed in a same layer. Thecolor adjustment portion 60 may be formed by any pigments or dyes that provide cyan color. Phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment is excellent in durability and preferable for the environment. - In the present embodiment, a color of cyan has an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than the wavelength of 575 nm that is a crossing point of a color intensity curve of green (Sg) and a color intensity curve of red (Sr). A color of blue has an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than the wavelength of 500 nm that is a crossing point of a color intensity curve of green (Sg) and a color intensity curve of blue (Sb). In the present embodiment, the
color adjustment portion 60 is not limited to be configured by a cyan coloring material but may be configured by a coloring material having an absorption band in the light of relatively long wavelength, and is configured preferably by a color having an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than 500 nm. A color phase between cyan and blue and having an absorption band in the light of wavelength longer than 500 nm can be used for thecolor adjustment portion 60. - On the
diffuser plate 250 a, the color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 60 changes in every area from the light source overlapping portion DA toward the empty area overlapping portion DN. On thediffuser plate 250 a, the dot pattern of thecolor adjustment portion 60 changes so that the color intensity of cyan changes in the short-side direction of thediffuser plate 250 a as illustrated inFIGS. 16 and 17 . The color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 60 is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 250 a, and the color intensity of thecolor adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward a portion farther therefrom. Nocolor adjustment portion 60 is formed on the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end inFIG. 17 ) and the end portions has color of thediffuser plate 250 a. Thus, thediffuser plate 250 a has relatively greater color intensity in the light source overlapping portion DA than the empty area overlapping portion DN. - The color intensity distribution of the
color adjustment portion 60 is determined by an area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60. An area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60 is relatively great and uniform in the light source overlapping portion DA (seeFIG. 15 ). In the empty area overlapping portion DN, an area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner from the border between the empty area overlapping portion DN and the light source overlapping portion DA toward the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end). As adjusting means for adjusting the color intensity, the area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60 may be uniform and distances between the dots may be varied. - As is explained before, in the present embodiment, a coloring material that provides cyan is provided as the
color adjustment portion 60 at least on the light source overlapping portion DA of thediffuser plate 250 a. - With this configuration, the light having a color phase of relatively long wavelength can be absorbed in the light source overlapping portion DA. Accordingly, even if the light exited from the light source overlapping portion DA takes on a yellow tinge, the light having a yellow color phase is absorbed by the
color adjustment portion 60 and uniform white light is obtained. - In the present embodiment, the color intensity of cyan changes in every area from the light source overlapping portion DA toward the empty area overlapping portion DN.
- The light exited from the
diffuser plate 250 a may have different color intensity of yellow in every area due to difference in distance between every area and thehot cathode tube 17. Even in such a case, with the above configuration, the color intensity of cyan is changed by thecolor adjustment portion 60 in every area of thediffuser plate 15 a and uniform white light is obtained. - In the present embodiment, the
color adjustment portion 60 and thelight reflecting portion 40 form one layer. Therefore, separate forming processes for forming thecolor adjustment portion 60 and thelight reflecting potion 40 are not necessary. This improves working efficiency. - The present invention is not limited to the second embodiment, and may include a following modification. The
color adjustment portion 60 of thediffuser plate 250 a may be formed as illustrated inFIG. 18 .FIG. 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a diffuser plate illustrating a forming pattern of a color adjustment portion. - In this modification, the
light reflecting portion 40 is formed on adiffuser plate 350 a on a surface facing thehot cathode tube 17, and acolor adjustment portion 61 that provides cyan color is formed on a surface of the light reflecting portion 40 (a surface facing the hot cathode tube 17). That is, thecolor adjustment portion 61 is layered on thelight reflecting portion 40. Such a layered configuration is achieved by printing thelight reflecting portion 40 on the surface of thediffuser plate 350 a first and printing thecolor adjustment portion 61 on the surface of thelight reflecting portion 40. Thus, thecolor adjustment portion 61 may be formed to be layered on thelight reflecting portion 40. - Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIG. 19 . In the third embodiment, a pattern form of the color adjustment portion is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment. In the third embodiment, the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained. -
FIG. 19 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general construction of a surface of the diffuser plate that faces the hot cathode tube. - As illustrated in
FIG. 19 , two kinds of dot patterns are formed on a surface of adiffuser plate 450 a that faces thehot cathode tube 17. One of the dot patterns is formed by printing on a surface of thediffuser plate 450 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having light reflectivity and also containing phthalocyanine-type cyan pigment. Therefore, each of the dots included in the dot pattern functions as thelight reflecting portion 40 and also functions as thecolor adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan color. An area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60 is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA. In the empty area overlapping portion DN, an area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 60 decreases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA toward a portion farther therefrom. Therefore, the cyan color intensity of thediffuser plate 450 a is greatest in the light source overlapping portion DA, and the cyan color intensity decreases in the empty area overlapping portion DN toward a portion farther from the light source overlapping portion DA. - The other one of the dot patterns configures a
color adjustment portion 50 that is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on the empty area overlapping portion DN of thediffuser plate 450 a. An area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 is greatest at the end portions of the empty area overlapping portion DN in its short-side direction (Y1 end and Y2 end) and decreases in a continuous manner as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA. Therefore, the yellow color intensity of thediffuser plate 450 a is greatest at the end portions in the empty area overlapping portion DN (Y1 end and Y2 end) that are farthest from the light source overlapping portion DA and decreases as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA. - With the above configuration, the
color adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow and thecolor adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan are combined to adjust color precisely in every area on thediffuser plate 450 a. In the portion of thediffuser plate 450 a having thelight reflecting portion 40 thereon (the light source overlapping portion DA), the illumination light is easy to take on yellow tinge. Therefore, thecolor adjustment portion 60 that provides cyan is formed on the light source overlapping portion DA to absorb the light of a color phase having relatively long wavelength and obtain uniform white light. In the empty area overlapping portion DN, the illumination light is easy to take on a blue tinge as is farther from thehot cathode tube 17. Therefore, thecolor adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed on the empty area overlapping portion DN to absorb the light of a color phase having relatively short wavelength and obtain uniform white light. - Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 20 to 23 . In the fourth embodiment, an arrangement pattern of the light sources is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained. -
FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in a backlight device.FIG. 21 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a general configuration of a surface of a diffuser plate that faces cold cathode tubes.FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating a light reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.FIG. 23 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate. InFIGS. 22 and 23 , the positions of the diffuser plate that overlap thecold cathode tube 70 are indicated by A and A′. - As illustrated in
FIG. 20 , cold cathode tubes (light source) 70 are formed in an elongated tubular shape and they are arranged parallel to each other in an entire area of thebottom plate 30 of thechassis 14 such that their length (axial direction) matches a long-side of thechassis 14. A certain gap is provided between the adjacentcold cathode tubes - As illustrated in
FIG. 21 , on a surface of adiffuser plate 550 a that faces thecold cathode tubes 70, thelight reflecting portion 40 that is configured by a white dot pattern is formed mainly in a light source overlapping portion DA-1. The dot pattern is formed by printing on a surface of thediffuser plate 550 a a paste containing metal oxide (such as titanium oxide) having good light reflectivity. An area of each dot of thelight reflecting portion 40 is greatest in the portion of thediffuser plate 550 a that overlaps the cold cathode tube 70 (light source overlapping portion DA-1). In the empty area overlapping portion DN-1, an area of each dot of thelight reflecting portion 40 decreases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to thecold cathode tube 70 toward a portion farther therefrom. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG. 22 , the light reflectance of thediffuser plate 550 a is greatest in the light source overlapping portions DA-1 and decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN-1 from the portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA-1 toward a portion farther therefrom. - The
color adjustment portion 50 is formed mainly on the empty area overlapping portion DN-1 of thediffuser plate 550 a. Thecolor adjustment portion 50 is configured by a dot pattern that provides yellow. The dot pattern is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on a surface of thediffuser plate 550 a. An area of each dot of thecolor adjustment portion 50 is greatest in a portion that is farthest from the cold cathode tube 70 (the light source overlapping portion DA-1) and decreases in a continuous manner as is closer to thecold cathode tube 70. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG. 23 , in the empty area overlapping portion DN-1, the yellow color intensity of thediffuser plate 550 a is greatest in the portion that is farthest from the cold cathode tube 70 (the light source overlapping portion DA-1) and decreases as is closer to thecold cathode tube 70. - With the above configuration, light output from the
cold cathode tubes 70 first reaches the light source overlapping portions DA-1 of thediffuser plate 550 a. The light source overlapping portion DA-1 that includes thelight reflecting portion 40 thereon has high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA-1, and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from thecold cathode tubes 70. On the other hand, the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA-1 is further reflected in thechassis 14 and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion DN-1. The light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN-1 is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN-1 and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. This prevents occurrence of lamp images and substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in thebacklight device 12. Further, in the present embodiment, thecolor adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed mainly on the empty area overlapping portion DN-1 of thediffuser plate 550 a. The light of a specific color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by the light reflecting portion formed on thediffuser plate 550 a. Therefore, a part of illumination light may take on a blue tinge in a portion away from thecold cathode tube 70 and uniform white light may not be obtained. Thecolor adjustment portion 50 that provides yellow is formed in the empty area overlapping portions DN-1. Accordingly, the light of a blue color phase is absorbed by thecolor adjustment portion 50 and uniform white light is obtained. - The present invention is not limited to the fourth embodiment, and may include a following modification. The arrangement pattern of the
cold cathode tubes 70 may be altered as illustrated inFIG. 24 .FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in the backlight device. - The
cold cathode tubes 70 are formed in an elongated tubular shape. A plurality ofcold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in a portion of thechassis 14 such that a long-side direction (axial direction) thereof matches the long-side direction of thechassis 14 and they are arranged parallel to each other. More specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 24 , abottom plate 31 of the chassis 14 (a portion facing adiffuser plate 550 a) is defined in the short-side direction equally in afirst end portion 31A, asecond end portion 31B that is located at an end opposite from thefirst end portion 31A and amiddle portion 31C that is sandwiched between thefirst end portion 31A and thesecond end portion 31B. Thecold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in themiddle portion 31C of thebottom plate 31 and a light source installation area LA-1 is formed in themiddle portion 31C. On the other hand, nocold cathode tube 70 is arranged in thefirst end portion 31A and thesecond end portion 31B of thebottom plate 31 and an empty area LN-1 is formed in thefirst end portion 31A and thesecond end portion 31B. - In the light source installation area LA-1 of the
bottom plate 31 of thechassis 14, thecold cathode tubes 70 are held by lamp clips (not shown) to be supported with a small gap between thecold cathode tubes 70 and thebottom plate 31 of thechassis 14.Heat transfer members 71 are disposed in the gap so as to be in contact with a part of thecold cathode tube 70 and thebottom plate 31. Heat is transferred from thecold cathode tubes 17 that are lit and have high temperature to thechassis 14 via theheat transfer members 71. Therefore, the temperature of thecold cathode tubes 70 is lowered at the portions in which theheat transfer members 71 are arranged and the coldest points are forcibly generated there. As a result, the brightness of each one of thecold cathode tubes 70 is improved and this contributes to power saving. - In each of the empty areas LN-1 of the
bottom plate 31 of thechassis 14, that is, in each of thefirst end portion 31A and thesecond end portion 31B of thebottom plate 31, a convex reflectingportion 72 extends along the long-side direction of thebottom plate 31. The convex reflectingportion 72 is made of a synthetic resin and has a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity. Each convex reflectingportion 72 has two slopedsurfaces cold cathode tubes 70 and are sloped toward thebottom plate 31. The convex reflectingportion 72 is provided such that its longitudinal direction matches an axial direction of thecold cathode tubes 70 arranged in the light source installation area LA-1. Onesloped surface 72 a directs light emitted from thecold cathode tubes 70 to thelight guide plate 550 a. The sloped surfaces 72 a of the convex reflectingportion 72 reflect the light emitted from thecold cathode tubes 70 to thediffuser plate 550 a side. Accordingly, the emission light is efficiently used. - With the above configuration, the
cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged only in themiddle portion 31 of thebottom plate 31 of thechassis 14. Therefore, compared to the case in that thecold cathode tubes 70 are installed evenly in theentire chassis 14, the number ofcold cathode tubes 70 can be reduced. This achieves a low cost and power saving of thebacklight device 12. - The arrangement pattern of the
cold cathode tubes 70 may be altered as illustrated inFIG. 25 .FIG. 25 is a plan view illustrating a general construction of a chassis included in the backlight device. - As illustrated in
FIG. 25 , abottom plate 32 of the chassis (a portion facing thediffuser plate 550 a) is defined in the short-side direction equally in afirst end portion 32A, asecond end portion 32B that is located at an end opposite from thefirst end portion 32A and amiddle portion 32C that is sandwiched between thefirst end portion 32A and thesecond end portion 32B. Thecold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in thefirst end portion 32A and thesecond end portion 32B of thebottom plate 32 and light source installation areas LA-2 are formed in thefirst end portion 32A and thesecond end portion 32B. On the other hand, nocold cathode tube 70 is arranged in themiddle portion 32C of thebottom plate 32 and an empty area LN-2 is formed in themiddle portion 32C. - With the above configuration, the
cold cathode tubes 70 are arranged in thefirst end portion 32A and thesecond end portion 32B of thebottom plate 32 of thechassis 14, and nocold cathode tube 70 is arranged in themiddle portion 32C. Therefore, compared to the case in that thecold cathode tubes 70 are installed evenly in theentire chassis 14, the number ofcold cathode tubes 70 can be reduced. This achieves a low cost and power saving of thebacklight device 12. - Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 26 to 30 . In the fifth embodiment, the arrangement pattern of the light sources is altered from the first embodiment and other configuration is similar to the first embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, the same components and parts as the first embodiment are indicated by the same symbols and will not be explained. -
FIG. 26 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a general construction of a liquid crystal display device.FIG. 27 is a general plan view illustrating an arrangement pattern of LED light sources in a chassis.FIG. 28 is a typical view illustrating an arrangement pattern of a light reflecting portion and a color adjustment portion formed on a diffuser plate.FIG. 29 is a graph illustrating a reflectance change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate.FIG. 30 is a graph illustrating a color intensity change in the short-side direction of the diffuser plate. InFIGS. 29 and 30 , the points that overlap an LED light source are indicated by C and C′. - As illustrated in
FIG. 26 , anLED board 81 is disposed on an inner surface of abottom plate 33 of thechassis 14. LED light sources (light sources) 80 are mounted on theLED board 81. TheLED board 81 includes alight reflecting sheet 82 and a plurality ofLED light sources 80. Thelight reflecting sheet 82 is disposed on a light output side surface of the LED board 81 (on a side that faces adiffuser plate 650 a). TheLED light sources 80 are arranged to be exposed from openings (not shown) formed in thelight reflecting sheet 82. EachLED light source 80 is surrounded by opening edge of the opening formed in thelight reflecting sheet 82. In the present embodiment, theLED board 81 is formed of one plate corresponding to theliquid crystal panel 11. However, theLED board 81 may be divided into several pieces and the divided pieces ofLED board 81 may be arranged on a plane. - The
light reflecting sheet 82 provided on theLED board 81 is a synthetic resin sheet having a surface in white color that provides high light reflectivity. It is placed so as to cover almost entire surface of theLED board 81 except the portions in which theLED light sources 80 are arranged. - Each
LED light source 80 emits white light. EachLED light source 80 may have three LED chips (not shown) each of which emits light of single color of red, green and blue or may have a blue LED chip and a yellow phosphor. TheLED light sources 80 are arranged on a plane surface in a hexagonal close-packed arrangement. Therefore, each interval between the adjacentLED light sources - As illustrated in
FIG. 28 , two kinds of dot patterns are formed on thediffuser plate 650 a. One of the dot patterns configures alight reflecting portion 90 that is formed by printing a paste containing metal oxide having good light reflectivity (such as titanium oxide) on a surface of thediffuser plate 650 a. In each portion of thediffuser plate 650 a that overlaps the LED light source (light source overlapping portion DA-2), thelight reflecting portion 90 is formed over an entire area of each portion that overlaps theLED light source 80. Namely, thelight reflecting portion 90 is formed by forming each dot all over the entire area of the light source overlapping portion DA-2. Further, thelight reflecting portion 90 is also formed in a portion of thediffuser plate 650 a that does not overlap the LED light source 80 (empty area overlapping portion DN-2). The area of each dot continuously reduces in a direction away from the light source overlapping portion DA-2. In a portion farthest from the light source overlapping portion DA-2, that is, a portion that overlaps a middle portion between the adjacentLED light sources 80, (indicated by D inFIGS. 28 and 29 ), a dot area of thelight reflecting portion 90 is smallest. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG. 29 , the light reflectance of thediffuser plate 650 a is highest in the light source overlapping portions DA-2 and decreases in a continuous manner in the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 as is farther away from the light source overlapping portions DA-2. - The other one of the dot patterns configures a
color adjustment portion 100. Thecolor adjustment portion 100 is formed by printing phthalocyanine-type yellow pigment on the empty area overlapping portion DN-2. Thecolor adjustment portion 100 is formed such that an area of each dot decreases in a continuous manner from a center of the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 (indicated by F inFIGS. 28 and 30 ) that is farthest from the adjacent threeLED light sources LED light sources color adjustment portion 100 increases in a continuous manner from a portion closer to the light source overlapping portion DA-2 toward a portion farther away therefrom. Therefore, as illustrated inFIG. 30 , the yellow color intensity of thediffuser plate 650 a is strongest in a middle portion of the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 (indicated by F inFIG. 30 ) and decreases as is closer to the light source overlapping portion DA-2. The light source overlapping portion DA-2 does not provide yellow color but provides color of thelight reflecting portion 90. - With the above configuration, light output from the LED
light source 80 first reaches the light source overlapping portion DA-2 of thediffuser plate 650 a. The light source overlapping portion DA-2 that includes thelight reflecting portion 90 thereon has high light reflectance. Therefore, most of the light reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA-2, and the brightness of illumination light is suppressed with respect to the light emission amount from the LEDlight source 80. On the other hand, the light that reflects off the light source overlapping portion DA-2 is further reflected by the reflectingsheet 82 in thechassis 14 and the light reaches the empty area overlapping portion DN-2. The light reflectance of the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 is relatively low and a larger amount of light passes through the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 and thus predetermined brightness of illumination light is achieved. Thus, substantially a uniform brightness distribution is achieved in thebacklight device 12. The light of a specific color phase may be absorbed (or reflected) by thelight reflecting portion 90 formed on thediffuser plate 650 a. Therefore, a part of illumination light may take on a blue tinge in a portion away from the LEDlight source 80 and uniform white light may not be obtained. In the present embodiment, thecolor adjustment portion 100 that provides yellow is formed on the empty area overlapping portion DN-2 of thediffuser plate 650 a. Accordingly, the light of a blue color phase is absorbed by thecolor adjustment portion 100 and uniform white light is obtained. - The
LED light sources 80 may be arranged on theLED board 81 as illustrated inFIGS. 31 and 32 as a modification of the fifth embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, theLED light sources 80 are arranged in a hexagonal close-packed arrangement so that the adjacentLED light sources 80 are arranged at equal intervals. However, as illustrated inFIG. 31 , theLED light sources 80 may be aligned vertically and horizontally to be arranged in a grid. Also, as illustrated inFIG. 32 , theLED light sources 80 may be aligned vertically and horizontally to be arranged in a staggered arrangement such that the adjacentLED light sources 80 are offset from each other. - The embodiments of the present invention have been described, however, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments explained in the above description and the drawings. The following embodiments may be included in the technical scope of the present invention, for example.
- (1) In the above embodiments, each dot of the dot pattern of the light reflecting portion and the color adjustment portion is formed in a round. However, the shape of each dot is not limited thereto but may be any shape such as a square or a polygonal shape.
- (2) In the above embodiments, the optical sheet set includes a combination of a diffuser plate, a diffuser sheet, a lens sheet and a reflective polarizing plate. Two diffuser plates may be layered as optical sheets.
- (3) The arrangement patterns of the light sources and the formation patterns of the color adjustment portion may be arbitrarily combined.
- (4) In the above embodiments, the light source installation area is provided in the middle portion of the bottom plate of the chassis. The light source installation area may be provided in any other positions according to the amount of rays of light from the light source and use conditions of the backlight device. The light source installation area may be provided in end portions of the bottom plate or may be provided in the middle portion and one end portion of the bottom plate.
Claims (18)
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JP2009-090357 | 2009-04-02 | ||
PCT/JP2009/071220 WO2010113363A1 (en) | 2009-04-02 | 2009-12-21 | Illuminating device, display device and television receiver |
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US20120044439A1 true US20120044439A1 (en) | 2012-02-23 |
US8801208B2 US8801208B2 (en) | 2014-08-12 |
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RU2490539C1 (en) * | 2009-06-03 | 2013-08-20 | Шарп Кабусики Кайся | Illuminator, reflection device and television receiver |
JP5751988B2 (en) * | 2011-08-26 | 2015-07-22 | 日立マクセル株式会社 | Illumination unit and display device using the same |
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JP2018181813A (en) * | 2017-04-21 | 2018-11-15 | シャープ株式会社 | Lighting device, display device, and television receiver |
WO2018193691A1 (en) * | 2017-04-21 | 2018-10-25 | シャープ株式会社 | Illumination device, display device, and television receiver device |
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WO2010113363A1 (en) | 2010-10-07 |
US8801208B2 (en) | 2014-08-12 |
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